Responsive care is the process of observing children’s cues and responding in a sensitive way that helps the child grow into the person you want them to be. One thing we can do as parents and caregivers is to notice patterns in our children’s behavior and to come up with simple solutions to help get them through these difficult times and feelings. One way to do this is to create routines for children that are easy to follow and consistent. We can think of ourselves as scientist as we observe, document and create theories based on the children’s behavior. This is actually a lot easier than it sounds and we want to help you take your first step to being your child’s scientist and offering them responsive care!

The following are examples of things that cause meltdowns for many children at school (and stress for parents). If these things are happening with your child, read on to learn about effective ways to handle these behaviors and hopefully relieve some pressure off of you.

Drop off time – my child screams, cries, or pleads with me not to go

Pick up time – my child screams, cries, or pleads with me to let them stay

From car to school – my child cries and says they do not want to go to school.

Elevator buttons – if my child does not get to push the elevator button, they have a meltdown

Parking ticket – if my child does not get to stamp the parking ticket, they scream and cry

Dropping off older child to take younger child to infant or toddler room – my child cries and makes this very hard for me.

At pick up time, my child insists to wait for a friend in the lobby before we leave -- if we cannot do this, they have a fit.

Starbucks after school – my child asks to go to Starbucks at pick up time and has a fit if I say “no”.

Sound familiar!? Well, you are not alone and we are here to help. Often, it is routine that children are seeking so this is a good place to start. Altering a child’s routine or doing something one day but not another can cause confusion and anxiety. Confusion and anxiety leads to meltdowns. The most important things we can do as parents and caregivers is to be consistent and to prep children ahead of time with expectations. Read on to learn how best to deal with those sticky situations mentioned above. Keep in mind, these tips are meant for preschoolers for the most part, but you can begin implementing some of these ideas with your younger child as well if you think they will understand.

Drop off time – my child screams, cries, or pleads with me not to go

Make a drop off routine plan with your child. Do this at a time when you are not rushed and when your child is ready to listen.

Say for example: “when we go into your classroom, I will help you put your shoes away, we will wash hands together, and I will give you one big hug by the door.” Ask them: “Am I going to come back to give you two hugs?” They answer “no.” “How many hugs do you get by the door?” They answer: “one.” You say, “Great job. Then role play this with them so they know exactly what to do when you get to school.

If your child cries at drop off it is important that you do not come back in. If you come back, this may communicate to your child that your words do no mean what they say, or that crying works to get what they want and or that school is not a safe place. A big smile and wave will help them feel secure. If you’d like, you can email the Director to check in on them if it was a particularly hard drop off.

Pick up time – my child screams, cries, or pleads with me to let them stay

Before you pick-up your child, create a pick up routine with them that you will use at school the next day. Be clear about expectations and role play this with them. It is important to do this the same way each day so you create a routine. If you do this and it does not work, be sure to ask a teacher for help. The teacher will ask you to go to the lobby while they help your child get ready and then bring them out to you.

Elevator buttons – if my child does not get to push the elevator button, they have a meltdown

Before coming to school (and when not in a rush) make an “elevator button rule” so your child knows what is expected. After you create the rule, be sure they can say it back to you so you know they understand what is expected.

The rule can simply be: “if no one else presses the elevator button, then we say, ‘I can press the button.’ If another child or adult presses the button first, we can say, ‘it’s okay, I can press it next time.’ By giving them the words for handling this situation, it gives them the idea that it is okay if they don’t get to press the button every time they want to.

Parking ticket – if my child does not get to stamp the parking ticket, they scream and cry

Before coming to school and when not in a rush, make a “ticket stamp rule” so they know what is expected. After you create the rule, be sure they can say it back to you so you know they understand what is expected.

The rule can simply be: “mommy/daddy stamps the ticket. It is only for adults.” “Tell me what the rule is….” If you let them do it once, they will always want to do it and be confused when they can’t.

Dropping off older child to take younger child to infant or toddler room – my child cries and makes this very hard for me.

Create a routine for this at home with your older child.

You can say: “baby is very heavy so it is important that I go straight to the infant room to drop him/her off and that you will come back to give them a hug goodbye. If they ask if they can go with you tell them that older children are not allowed in the toddler or infant rooms and that it is a PFM rule. Be very clear about what you plan to do and reassure your older child that you will be back in a few minutes to say goodbye. Then be sure to follow through.

At pick up time, my child insists to wait for a friend in the lobby before we leave -- if we cannot do this, they have a fit.

Talk about the plan at home before you come to school.

You can say: “if you want to wait for someone at pick up time, a good place will be by the elevators.” And then follow through on this.

Starbucks after school – my child asks to go to Starbucks at pick up time and has a fit if I say “no”.

Create a “Starbucks Schedule” and only go on the days that you are “scheduled” to go.

For example, create a calendar for the month and highlight the day of the week that you will take your child to Starbucks . Be sure to stick with the same day each week so they do not get confused. Also, post this somewhere they can see it in the home and this will help them keep track of “how many days until Starbucks”… and give them something to look forward to.

Welcome to the month of March, everyone! We look forward to our Playground Fundraiser on March 10th and cannot wait to see you outside of work so we can let loose a little bit and enjoy each other’s company. We will unveil the playground plans during this event and then post the plans in the lobby afterward so you can see what will be happening in the near future. We will also share the amount of funds we have raised after our big night of fundraising!

February was a month full of friendship and love here at PFM. Watching the children share their ‘Friendship Fruit Salad’ with each other and make Valentine's cards with their families was such a treat! Thank you for participating in these sweet moments with your children.

We are happy to announce that Toren’s brother, Lars has begun in our infant room! Camilla has transitioned from the infant room to the toddler room and Jackson has joined North Preschool! They are all doing so well and seem to be adapting quickly to their new classrooms.

Another exciting event we have coming up this month is on March 21st and 22nd when preschoolers invite their parents into the classroom for “bring your parent to school day(s)” ! This is such a fun couple of days to visit and see what your child is up to during their time here at school and to actually work them. We will put a sign-up sheet in the lobby next week with days and times to come in and work with your child.

• Monday and Tuesday March 20th/21st: Bring your parent to school days!

Hello March!

This month we will learn about the bean seed and plant. With lots of opportunities for scientific discovery, we will be dissecting, sprouting and sorting all different types of seeds in the classroom.

We will also welcome spring this month by bringing some tree branches with buds on them into the classroom and this will inspire some still life drawing and painting in our art area, and sorting some spring pictures and flower bulbs.

In the math area we will be introduced to coins! We will learn about the value of each coin type and the different quantities that are equal to each other.

In practical life we will be exploring magnets! An initial sorting of magnetic versus non-magnetic will give us a great base for lots of magnetic sorting opportunities.

What a fun month we have ahead!

-Sarah

This is the secret: We must walk with the child, not the child with us. This is the practical help we can give to this very important period.

— -Maria Montessori

Sounds this month:

Our sounds have been put in order by the AMS sound groups- the easiest to pronounce and write to the hardest. We will reach the end of our sound groups this month so we will start right back at the beginning with Ss.

March 5th-9th: Xx

March 12th-16th: Vv

March 19th-23rd: Qq

March 26th-30th: Yy

Bringing the classroom home this month…

• Gardening:
Hopefully the weather this month will permit some gardening time at your house, but if not sprout some seeds in cups to plant outside later!

• Magnets:
Do your own tests this month at home with things around the house- pick up a magnet and gather your items then test each one to see if it is magnetic or non-magnetic.

• Spring:
Pick some spring branches from around your neighborhood and examine their attributes. Talk about the tiny buds and/or flowers you see. Make a sketch of the branches or even paint them!

• Polish some coins:
Gather your rustiest pennies and other coins and polish them using lemon juice or vinegar and some table salt. Place one coin at a time in a small dish and add the vinegar/lemon juice then a dash of salt and scrub with a q-tip.

• Roll some coins:
Have your child help you sort through your coin jar. Sort the coins and then count and roll them up to take to the bank!

Birthdays and transitions this month...

We will welcome James Volk from the toddler classroom this month

Addi will celebrate his birthday this month on March 12th

Bring your parents to school day

This month we are offering an opportunity for you to come into the classroom and see some of your child’s favorite works. They are always so full of pride showing you their school environment and the care they take in their work and this will be a wonderful opportunity to see what the day is like. I will be putting out a sign-up sheet with different time slots throughout the day and you can choose a time that is convenient for you.

• Monday and Tuesday March 20th/21st: Bring your parent to school days!

Happy march!

It is hard to believe it is already March! We are going to counteract any grey weather that comes our way by learning about rainbows! We will learn the colors of the rainbow in both English and in Spanish, when we can observe rainbows, and how rainbows are made. In the practical life section of our classroom we will experiment with color mixing, color sorting and making rainbow bracelets. Our classroom will be a colorful reprieve from the rainy gray that March typically brings to Seattle.

Our fish tank will be getting a new addition this month that may just inspire a zoological study. We will be adding 2 frogs to our tank! We will study this new creature by learning its different body parts, learning the life cycle of a frog and observing it in its habitat.

We will celebrating the Spring Equinox on March 20th by planting seeds both in our classroom and on our playground!

-Hope

The greatest development is achieved during the first years of life, and therefore it is then that the greatest care should be taken

— -Maria Montessori

Sounds this month:

Birthdays and transitions this month...

Aidan turns 4 March 9th

John turns 3 March 30th

Bring your parents to school day

This month we are offering an opportunity for you to come into the classroom and see some of your child’s favorite works. They are always so full of pride showing you their school environment and the care they take in their work and this will be a wonderful opportunity to see what the day is like. I will be putting out a sign-up sheet with different time slots throughout the day and you can choose a time that is convenient for you.

This month we will be focusing on transportation, whether it’s community vehicles like school buses or travel vehicles like boats!

It is after this that the child, who can now walk and feels confident of his strength, begins to notice the actions of those about him, and tries to do the same things. In this period he imitates not because someone has told him to do so, but because of a deep inner need which he feels.

Happy March,Families!All babies now are having snacksand lunch together at the table!Meals and snacks are served “familystyle” which helps introduce babiesto a variety of healthy foods. Weprovide babies their own utensils,plates, cups, and bowls for fruit, thisway they learn to manipulate theseobjects and become familiar withthemselves independently.A warm welcome to Mimi to thebaby room! Mimi began in theinfant room when she first started atPFM; she is very excited to be back!As we say goodbye to Camilla who isnow fully transitioned to the toddlerroom, we welcome baby Lars to ourclassroom, welcome Lars! We arevery happy to have you!

This is the secret: We must walk with the child, not the child with us. This is the practical help we can give to this very important period.

hello families, welcome to february!

This month we are very excited to be participating in the first ever PFM auction. We will be working hard all month on artwork for this upcoming event!As we have more babies beginning to walk, we look for ample ways to provide opportunities for babies to use their new skills. One way we do this in the classroom is provide pushing work. Pushing work helps babies prepare for weight shifting between their feet, strengthens hand-eye and bilateral coordination, and is at the perfect level to encourage walking. We have several rolling carts and cars in our classroom that we love to bring out to encourage this beneficial skill.Important Dates

hi pfm families!

Throughout January we continued to work on our collage portraits and alas! We have reached the end of our project! Be on the lookout for auction information in the future as this is where/when they will be unveiled! We hope to see you there J

You might have also noticed our cardboard trees in the afternoon program, set beside our hot cocoa stand and icy blocks. Our little friends had so much fun working in our D.I.Y. dramatic play scene

This month we will be creating valentines and working on several projects to be displayed at our auction in March. Textured scrolls, wooden sculptures, and concentric circles, oh my! As always, you’re more than welcome to check out our progress from 4-5pm at the art table in North Preschool!